Due to insistent public demand, I am giving you the Tagalog Almirol Recipe. Almirol Recipe:
Please share your experiences with almirol or any form of starching. So far, I have tried Niagara, Faultless, Glide and gawgaw. There are so many new brands in the grocery now. Post your reviews in the comments section or email them to me.
I found the perfect soccer-mom chair for my friend, "Teacher J".
Picnic Time Director's Chair (I saw this in Rustan's, Shangri-La)
I can't wait to be a soccer-mom. I will buy the Sports Chair Deluxe by Picnic Time...
...only mine will be SHARPAYED!
This is how you use it:
Gourdo's called this morning to inform me that the Splenda I reserved was ready for pick-up. Hooray! It's a steal at only P265 for 100 packets. (A box of 100 normally costs P345) That amounts to a savings of P80 per bag!
For that, I was willing to drive all the way to Greenhills to pick up the 2 bags I reserved.
Hmmm....but did I really save?
Savings:
Expenses:
A loss of 5 pesos. Sigh... plus I now have a cake that will cancel out all the calories I saved from the Splenda.
When I was in college, my friend "JJ" explained to me how chickens lay their eggs. I was bowled over by his revelation. The eggs we eat are actually unfertilized chicken eggs! I always thought hens needed roosters for that.
My level of amazement the first time I cooked Carbonara (last Friday, 25 July) was close to that of my "chicken-egg" experience.
Here is the recipe:
1/2 cup bacon bits
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
pepper
450 g spaghetti
It's so easy! I never knew it was so simple. I wanted to cry.
How was my Carbonara?
"C", my official taster (you can never trust your husband to give you an honest opinion about things like cooking and sexiness), gave me the thumbs up while she was finishing my Carbonara. I guess that means it's good.
History and Origin of my Beloved Pasta Dish (from Wikipedia)The dish was obscure before the Second World War, and it is not present in Ada Boni's classic book La Cucina Romana, which was published in 1927. It is thought to have originated in the hills outside Rome, not in the city itself. Its popularity began after the Second World War, when many Italians were eating eggs and bacon supplied by troops from the United States. It also became popular among American troops stationed in Italy; upon their return home, they popularized spaghetti alla carbonara in North America.
Our printer obviously doesn't know which side his bread is buttered. He has this habit of running out of ink when my husband needs to print something important. A few months ago, my husband had to submit a document printed in blue ink because the black cartridge ran out. BLUE INK!
The same thing almost happened this morning. Luckily, I learned from the last time and had extra cartridges ready.
Do you know how long your inks last? I don't but I'll find out soon. (I hope not that soon)
This forms part of my Home Notebook. I find the list very handy when:
I went with my friends "MM" and "B" to the Ikea Showroom in Makati last Saturday. I was "just supposed to look" but I couldn't resist buying plastic containers and another lamp.
I am Mrs. G and I am a plastic container addict.
The containers in the drawer with the sandwich bags, I use regularly. The pictures on top are the ones I don't use. I have more but I don't want to take them out of my hiding place. Like an alcoholic who hides liquor around the house, I have plastic containers stashed in different cabinets.
I also like lamps. They light up my life! That is, if I get them to work or take them out of their container. I now only use 1 of the 4 lamps I bought from Ikea.
I need help.
My friend "MM" bought a lamp at Ikea but could not assemble it because she did not have a Phillips-head screwdriver at home. Has this ever happened to you? If yes, it's about time that you get your own home repair tool kit.
I bought my pink tool set (see picture) at Robinson's D.I.Y. Center in Trinoma last year. Nice tool sets are available in True Value and Ace Hardware too.
If you want to shop on-line, check out these cute tool kits:
Apollo 135-pc. Tool Kit - Pink
Little Pink Tool Kit
"Home Chic Home" Tool Set ("MM", you will love this!)
My friend "J" inspired me to bake so I decided to make my very own homemade butter cake. The only problem is... Actually, there are two problems. First, I don't have a real oven. Second, I don't know how to cook or bake. But no worries! Undeterred by these minor issues, I went to the grocery (Unimart) to buy my ingredients.
I first looked for a baking pan. I was planning to use our toaster oven so I had to get a very small loaf pan. While browsing through the stacks of pans, I also chanced upon a small muffin pan. Perfect! I decided to make muffins too. With my loaf and muffin pans, I proceeded to the baking section.
Thank you Lord for ready cake-mixes! I decided to get the Maya Oven Toaster Butter Cake Mix and the Betty Crocker Corn Bread and Muffin Mix because they required the least number of ingredients.
How was the Butter Cake?
According to my friend "C", who was here to appreciate my creation, it was good. I can't exactly remember if she said good or okay but she ate two slices so I guess she liked it.
It was so easy to bake. It's impossible to mess it up. I realized 5 minutes after putting it in the oven that I chose the wrong oven toaster setting. I changed it and reset the clock. 5 minutes later, I changed it to another setting and reset the clock again. By this time, I was so sure that the cake will be a failure. After checking it with my barbecue stick (toothpicks are to short) a dozen of times, it finally came out of the oven perfectly baked. Surprise! Surprise!
I'm going to try the corn muffin in a few days. Wish me luck.
When we moved in our apartment, my husband brought with him around 8 years worth of credit card records. To give you an idea, the files go way back when Metrobank was still Solidbank. It instantly used up more than half of our drawer space. Argh! It drove me crazy.
My solution? Go paperless!
Tools for going paperless:
I just found out that the maid in charge of ironing our clothes, including my husband's barongs, actually just uses GLIDE!
I know what you are thinking. How could I not have known? How dare me blog about the virtues of almirol when our maid was using Glide the whole time? (Read Starch Wars Part I)
This is what happend... I actually interviewed our cook... Wait! Let me explain. Ate "S" is now our cook but she used to be in charge of our clothes. She was the one who gave me the almirol recipe. The person in charge now, "M", was actually trained by Ate "S". However, "M" is prone to finding ways to shortcut her work, much to the distress of Ate "S".
You should have seen "M"'s eyes when I asked her how exactly she starches the barongs. She fearfully confessed that she skips the whole almirol bit and just sprays Glide to the barongs. I asked her how she makes it stiff and wrinkle free. She doesn't really know. I guess she just did it to cut her workload in half. Luckily for her, Glide works.
So there, it's either Niagara, Glide or Liwayway Gawgaw. I have a feeling that the Starch Wars are not yet over. What do you think?
This tip was sent to me by a friend/mrsgblog-fan who trained with the US Army.If you are going camping and there are a lot of bugs, put dryer sheets in your pockets and around your tent. Do not use the fruity smelling kind. Bounce works best.
This is a great anti-dengue tip for children going on a field trip. I myself will do this the next time I have to eat al fresco in Bonifacio High Street. The last time I was there, my legs were riddled with mosquito bites!
I was able to ask my friend the following questions:
Q. When you say bugs, does that include Philippine mosquitoes?
A. Yes
Q. Will it work with used dryer sheets?
A. No. It must be unused.
Q. Will it work against tics?
A. No. We use dog tic collars for that.
Hmmm... Tic Collars? That is too "Man vs. Wild" for me. I'll stick to dryer sheets.
Me: "Your barong is wrinkled. Change it!"
Husband: "It's okay. Nobody will notice."
Me: "Everybody will notice! I will be judged by how well your barong is starched and ironed. Baka sabihin nila I'm a bad housewife."
(WARNING: Be sure to also read Starch Wars Part II)
Korean Wife is to Kimchi as Mrs. G is to Starched Barong
The excited new homemaker in me made me buy cans and cans of Niagara Spray Starch for my husband's barongs. It used to be at the top of my grocery list even though I was scandalized by its price. I don't know how many cans of Niagara I used before our maid suggested that we try the good ol' trusty almirol.
I bought Liwayway Gawgaw and let the maid experiment with the barongs. Lo' and behold! She was able to achieve starch perfection.
Advantages of Almirol:
IMPORTANTE! UGALIING MAG-HUGAS NG KAMAY BAGO HUMAWAK NG PAGKAIN O ANUMANG BAGAY SA KUSINA. MAG-SUOT NG HAIRNET KUNG MAGLULUTO.
KITCHEN SAFETY REMINDERS
NAKURYENTE
NAKAINOM O NAKAKAIN NG LASON
SPRAIN
KAGAT NG HAYOP
MATINDING PAGDURUGO NG SUGAT
HIWA, GALOS O GASGAS
SUGAT NG PAGKATUSOK
MATINDING PAGKASUNOG O PAGKABANLI
TANDAAN:
MENOR NA PAGKASUNOG O PAGKABANLI
3 BAGAY NA DAPAT TIYAKIN KUNG MAY TAONG MALUBHA ANG SUGAT O KARAMDAMAN:
MGA HINDI DAPAT GAWIN SA BIKTIMA:
Tumawag sa 117 para humingi ng tulong. Sabihin sa nakasagot kung ano ang nangyari o sakuna. Itanong kung ano ang dapat gawin habang hindi pa dumarating ang ambulansya. Tumawag din sa guard at ipaalam na may emergency sa Unit *****. Gawin ito agad lalo na kung ang biktima ay:
Maaari ring tumawag sa (IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF AEROMED OF LIFELINE ARROWS) para sa ambulansya. Sabihin sa nakasagot ang nangyari. Ibigay ang pangalan at card number ni xxxxx: xxxxx, Card No. xxxxx.
IMPORTANTE!
"Pangunahing Lunas at mga Halamang Gamot Para Sa Lahat" by Ricardo C. Asin; DK: First Aid Manual". (Both from National Bookstore, Power Plant)
I bought these two first aid manuals last Sunday. I was finally able to make my own Tagalog first aid guide for my household manual. I will share them with you soon!
Remember the earthquake prediction of Da Luz (Da Roose)? Well, I know it's a hoax but it made me reassess our earthquake/emergency preparedness here at home. Before the email, all I had in our emergency kit were tissues and toiletries. I am happy to say that I am close to completing our kit.
Tip: Flashlight and Cloth gloves available in Ace Hardware. Army Knife, Poncho and Blanket available in R.O.X., Bonifacio High Street.
Emergency Kit for 2
"Something smells fishy..."
I hate cooking fish at home. The whole house ends up smelling like fish after. I bet the neighbors know what we are having for dinner tonight. Well, they can't complain because I can also smell their adobo and tuyo.
In addition to our rangehood, we also have an exhaust fan in our kitchen. For additional support, we open the windows and turn on the electric fan when we're cooking. However, these are still not enough to remove the smell in the kitchen.
I searched high and low for tips on removing kitchen odors. I compiled the ones that worked for me. Now, no more lingering bad smell around the house. Here are some of the tips I tried and tested --
Tip 1: Boil vinegar in a pot.
I tried this. It works! Boil around 1/4 cup of vinegar in a small pot (correction! 1/4 cup vinegar and 2 cups of water). It miraculously absorbed the fish smell. Just remember to turn off the heat after it boils. If you let it boil for a long time, your house will smell like vinegar. I made this mistake and our kitchen ended up smelling like paksiw for a few minutes. But don't worry. The smell eventually fades and you will be left with a scent-free kitchen.
Tip 2: Scented Oil/Candle
This is a good way to make your kitchen smell nice. I switched to orange essential oils. The lavender oil makes the kitchen and dining area smell like a spa. Not very appetizing. (Light the oil/candle after you boil the vinegar)
Tip 3: Bamboo Aroma Diffuser
I was a bit skeptical at first with this one but it works. It does not emit any kind of scent but it absorbs the bad kitchen smell.
Tip 4: Air Purifier
It emits a subtle scent, depending on the oil you put in the water. I don't know how well it will work without the other stuff I use. It might not remove that kitchen smell but it is effective in taking out that musty humid smell around the house.
Tip 5: Fry fish in Crisco (untested)
Anyone there who already tested this tip?
I have finally done it! I assembled my Cleaning Kit with homemade cleaning products. I printed out a copy of the recipes and placed it in our Household Manual so that the helpers can mix a new batch anytime. Below is the list of what's in the kit and the recipes for the cleaning products.
COLD STORAGE
I am very vigilant about keeping an inventory of the food inside our refrigerator. The minute I get home from the grocery, I transfer the frozen foods into plastic containers, label them then put them in the freezer.
Tip: For easy labeling, just remove the bar code and stick it to the container.
It is important to keep track of what's inside the freezer and how long it has been there. But how long can we safely store food inside the refrigerator? I found the answer in a printable Cold Storage Chart from the US Food Safety and Inspection Service. Print it and add it to your Household Manual.
DEFROSTING
The US Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the following tips:
Never defrost foods in a garage, basement, car, dishwasher or plastic garbage bag; out on the kitchen counter, outdoors or on the porch. These methods can leave your foods unsafe to eat.Check out their site: US Food Safety and Inspection Service Read More...
There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small items may defrost overnight; most foods require a day or two. And large items like turkeys may take longer, approximately one day for each 5 pounds of weight.
For faster defrosting, place food in a leak proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water. (If the bag leaks, bacteria from the air or surrounding environment could be introduced into the food. Tissues can also absorb water like a sponge, resulting in a watery product.) Check the water frequently to be sure it stays cold. Change the water every 30 minutes. After thawing, cook immediately.
When microwave-defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving.
Advantages of Maintaining a Home Inventory
Do you still remember the gifts you got for your wedding shower? I do.
Here are some of the interesting ones:
My husband has a collection of martial arts DVDs. He has over a hundred and he used to store them in two very bulky disk drums. If you clicked the link, that's the exact design but ours were color gray and light blue with some orange writing in front.
Very uncool! The color of the disk drums clashed with the over-all theme of the bedroom! You can see the blue monstrosity sticking out like a sore thumb beside our TV! Oh, did I mention that it was bulky?! We had two!!! (sorry. too many exclamation points.)
Sigh... past is past. All is happy now.
I gave the disk drums away and transferred all our DVDs (movies, instructional videos, martial arts stuff) to a CD/DVD wallet. They are now neatly stored inside our TV cabinet.
Each wallet can hold 80 CDs/DVDs. I bought ours in Makati Cinema Square for 80 pesos each. Neat, huh?
"BALCONIES. The balconies may not be used as drying area for clothes or as storage area for any material visible from the outside."
Drying clothes could be a challenge if you live in a condominium unit. Buying a dryer unit would seem to be the easy solution but it's not.
First, you have to solve the SPACE issue. Where will you put the dryer? Will you also buy a washing machine? You will have to find a place near a source of water, a drain and an electric outlet. Luckily, I was able to solve all of these when we had our unit renovated. I found the LaGermania Washer and Dryer combo, one compact unit that washes and dries! The contractor was also able to reserve a space for the unit in our laundry area.
However, there is this second problem, the COST. Not only is the unit expensive (it was around P45,000 three years ago), it also eats up large amounts of electricity. That P45,000-unit will probably eat up around P1,500 in electricity a month.
In the end, we ended up not buying the unit. We just hired an extra helper to do the laundry and she uses the clotheslines at our rooftop to dry our clothes. It works well for us, for now. If we decide to buy a dryer some day, there is a space ready for it in our laundry area. In the meantime, I placed a kitchen rack there and I am loving the extra storage space.
Here is a link to a site that gives useful tips on air drying clothes - http://www.tiptheplanet.com/index.php?title=Air_dry_washing
When we started to use duvets, it took at least two people to change the covers. Changing it was a weekly event that made our arms feel sore after.
The instructions in my Martha Stewart Housekeeping Handbook helped a bit but it was hard to follow. We still did not quite get how to do it the easy way.
Then came this video. You will never have to wrestle with your duvet again after watching this. Enjoy!
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-put-on-a-duvet-cover
When I was growing up, the nail cutters in our house were considered disposable. My mother bought a new one almost every month. We would use it a few times then it mysteriously disappears.
I unfortunately brought the family "nail cutter curse" with me when I got married.
I still remember our first Trim nail cutter. My husband would put it in a wooden tray in our bedroom after every use. (Note: After HE uses it.) Every time I use the nail cutter, it will disappear and he has to buy another one.
This went on for some time until that one fateful day when he went home with a Body Shop nail cutter.
Me: "A Body Shop nail cutter?! P110?! How is this different from the P20 Trim nail cutter from Mercury?"
Husband: "I was there. We needed a nail cutter."
A P110-nail cutter every week! Unthinkable! That day, I have vowed never to lose another nail cutter again.
...and so our "Nail Care Kit" was born.
Why not just remember to put it back in the tray? Well, it helps to have all your tools in one container. Also, when I forget to return the nail cutter, the helpers know where to put it back.
Read More...Ingredients:
I was trying to search for Salvatore Ferragamo's store number when I hit this site -- Power Plant Mall: SALVADOR FERRAGAMO.
SALVADOR!
It's the official Power Plant Mall site!
This made my day.
Skip the flat sheets and just use a duvet. In the morning, just arrange the pillows and the duvet. A perfectly made bed in 30 seconds or less guaranteed!
We tried to use a comforter before but it's too bulky and difficult to wash. Imagine storing 3 comforters in a small apartment. Plus it costs P150@ to have them professionally laundered. I gave them all away and just bought a duvet and duvet covers.
Check out the Ikea Quilt Covers. Nice designs and very affordable.
Our Bed Linens:
Clean and neat do not always come together. A very clean and antiseptic apartment will still look dirty if it is cluttered. On the other hand, an apartment that looks neat may have germs lurking all over the place. It is difficult to maintain a 100% clean AND neat apartment. The trick here is to fake it and achieve some kind of balance.
CLEAN
VACUUM! I can vacuum one whole room in our apartment in less than 10 minutes (5, if I don't get anal). No need to dust, spray or wipe. Just suck the dirt out of every nook and cranny. Buy the best vacuum cleaner you can afford. It will be worth every penny (centavo).
NEAT
HIDE IT! Hide your stuff in boxes and cabinets. Put everything in its proper place. It will only take a few seconds to return that stapler you just used inside the drawer. Compare that to one whole Saturday lost to cleaning if you let clutter accumulate.
Step 2: Fold the bag twice. 
Step 3: Fold the bag into a triangle.
Step 4: Tuck the handles into the triangle.
VOILA! A neatly folded plastic bag!
First Aid Kit
Here are two links to printable stain removal guides:
By Real Simple
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/web/forms/stain.pdf
By Martha Stewart
http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf3/stain_removal_basics.pdf
I like the Real Simple chart better because it tackles two types of bloods stains (fresh and dried). In Martha Stewart's chart, it is discussed under "Protein", with egg stains.
Unless you are menopausal, you will most likely encounter blood stains every month. In our house, we only deal with two types of stains: blood and chocolate.
Here is a link to the site with a printable guide to common laundry care symbols:
http://www.textileaffairs.com/lguide.htm
It is very important that your labandera/plantsadora knows how to decipher these signs.
I already had two kasambahay-related crying incidents. The first one involves my clothes being burned for the nth time. I have learned my lesson so I now make sure that every time I buy new clothes, I discuss with the maid the care symbols and the instructions on how to launder and iron them.
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